The present invention relates to a novel modular habitat for animals comprising a plurality of spaced modules for housing animals therein and allowing them to move between two or more spaced modules.
Aquariums and other animal habitats have long been used in homes, schools, offices, and the like, both for their decorative and ornamental functions, and for providing means whereby various types of animals such as fish, frogs, turtles, tadpoles, iguanas, rodents, and the like may be viewed swimming, moving, feeding and engaging in other activities which are both educational and interesting to watch. The characteristics and tendencies of specific animals can be of extreme interest and educational value as the animals grow, and when viewed at periodic intervals.
While the prior art encompasses numerous aquariums or the like having a plurality of independent or spaced tanks for housing fish, such devices have numerous defects and disadvantages which are obviated by the present invention. The following U.S. Pat. Nos. are exemplary of such prior art devices: U.S. Pat. Nos. 192,595 (Palen et al.); 1,576,462 (Polzin); 2,059,927 (Beck); 3,903,844 (Greenia); 3,921,583 (De Shores); 3,991,715 (Gibson); 5,067,439 (Hand); 5,083,528 (Strong); and 5,799,611 (Park).
Each of the Palen et al, Polzin, Beck, Greenia and Gibson patents discloses an aquarium having two spaced tanks or reservoirs and an arched shaped bridge connecting the tanks or reservoirs which allow fish to swim between the spaced tanks or reservoirs. The De Shores patent discloses an aquarium arrangement having two or more spaced tanks interconnected by one or more passageway tubes which allow fish to swim between the spaced tanks. The Strong patent discloses an aquarium comprising a plurality of spaced tanks in stepped, gradually descending, relation whereby water introduced to the uppermost tank flows therethrough and then down into and through each succeeding tank with means for causing the flow of water from one tank to the next. The inventor of the invention disclosed and claimed in the Park patent is the same as the inventor of the invention disclosed and claimed in the instant application, with the invention disclosed in the instant application being an improvement over that disclosed in the Park patent. The Park patent discloses an animal habitat which allows animals to move between two or more modules or chambers and which generally comprises a plurality of lower tier modules having passageways therebetween, and a plurality of upper tier modules having passageways therebetween. The chambers or modules disclosed in the Park patent incorporate numerous parts that must be secured to each other and are not made as single parts.